Montgomery Mill

This mill was also known as Biggarts, McGregor and then Peockland Mill and was built in 1796 by Bro. Robert Montgomery PM. The complex occupied both sides of the High Street at the bottom of Thorn Brae. Unlike the bigger mills which were powered by the river Cart, Montgomery Mill was powered by the Peockland burn. Given that the Peockland burn was also the main sewer for part of Johnstone you have to imagine what the working conditions were like!

The trade directory of 1850 shows Bro. George Houstoun and Co as owner and Robert Lang as Manager and residing in Peockland Cottage. It has been suggested that the dentist surgery in Leighcartside Street was the same building but maps of the time cast doubt on this theory. Gerry was going to do some research on this subject but I don’t know if he came to any firm conclusion.

July 1856 sees the mill up for sale again as part of the estate of the late Bro. Houstoun who had died in February of that year. The sale appears to cover only the buildings on the south side of the High street so the fate of the buildings on the North is unclear at this point. Shortly after the sale a newspaper report shows that the “Peockland Wee Mill” was destroyed by fire. 1868 sees the mill up for sale again, this time the North side. The trade directory of 1870 shows the owner to be David Biggart.

A newspaper report from 1873 shows the mills being extended by Messrs D. Biggart and Son and a newspaper report from 1886 boasts that Biggart’s now has the tallest chimney in Johnstone (200 feet). 1888 sees yet another extension so business must be doing well.

The last mention of the mill I can find is in the 1929 trade directory. I assume it closed shortly after that and Peockland Gardens was built in its place.

I have uploaded an early photograph of Peockland Gardens to compare with the photograph of the mill. You can see part of Loudon’s (same building in both) in the background of both photographs so can get some idea of location and scale.

It was a beautiful building and would have enhanced that end of Johnstone had it survived.

From Johnstone History Facebook page